


There For You

by witchkid



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-09
Updated: 2020-04-28
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:20:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,746
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23565961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/witchkid/pseuds/witchkid
Summary: Harume had been in love with Alphinaud for a long time, but hasn't been the best at showing it, however when his sister shows up gravely wounded she finds it in herself to confront her feelings in order to help him.
Relationships: Alphinaud Leveilleur & Warrior of Light, Alphinaud Leveilleur/Original Character(s), Alphinaud Leveilleur/Warrior of Light
Comments: 6
Kudos: 32





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Commission for the lovely chillyrose on Tumblr! I had a lot of fun writing it and I hope you like it! ♡

Harume came to a stop, leaning against the door, unable to bring herself to enter the room just yet. 

After Alisaie was taken to the infirmary, they'd all scattered to deal with the information she had just shared. Alphinaud, however, had gone off on his own, looking shaken. She'd hesitated before going after him, unsure of what she could do, but decided that he might need a friend's company at the moment. It had been… Shocking to say the least, to hear the unguarded emotion on his voice. She'd never seen him like that before and couldn't shake the sight out of her mind. 

_"But more than that, she is my sister… to be reunited with her, only to lose her forever… Gods, even to speak the words…"_

And sitting by himself in a dim room he looked even more heartbreakingly vulnerable. He was curled on himself, shoulders down, eyes unfocused, looking impossibly small for someone she'd always seen as larger than life and filled with confidence. As she forced herself to approach him, footsteps loud on the silent room, she also noticed how tense he seemed, and that he seemed to be trembling slightly.

"How are you holding up?" she asked, sitting beside him. Harume felt quite lost in this situation. Feelings weren't her strong suit when it came to him. She'd always try her best to be nice, but end up being mean out of awkwardness and embarrassment due to her… Infatuation. And in this moment that wouldn't do. 

"I must admit I'm not quite alright," he sighed, breathing rapidly. "I know that they said Alisaie will be well taken care of, but I can't help but worry… What will I do if I lose her?" 

She acted without thinking. When his eyes found hers, earnest and lit with unshed tears, all of her troublesome feelings were put aside, and she took the lead, putting a hand on his shoulder and meeting his stare with the most comforting look she could manage. "I… I don't know. But they're doing their best and Alisaie seems to be strong, so I want to believe she'll be alright."

"Gods I want so too," he surprised her by leaning into her touch, and she tried her best to keep relaxed and not to let it show. "I never thought that was how we'd meet again, you know? I knew the paths we've chosen were dangerous, and yet…" 

"I understand." 

There wasn't anything else she could say, so she brought him closer, embracing him fully, one hand across his back and the other in his hair, gently playing with it in a way she hoped would be comforting. 

And so, they sat with each other, Harume didn't know for how long. She held him in silence until the trembling started to subdue, his breathing deepened, and he began relaxing under her touch. She stayed there, a steady presence, until Alphinaud himself started to pull away. 

He cleared his throat. "Thank you, Harume," he said, voice low and honest, and she felt her face grow hot.

"That's what friends are for, right?" 

"That they are." 

They were silent once more, however, it didn't hold the same weight as before. She could see Alphinaud composing himself in the corner of her eye, and did her best to give him a semblance of privacy as he did so, looking away until he seemed to be done. Although he still looked raw and wide open, gone was the small and broken boy from before. There was now a certain calmness to him, vulnerable, but put together. 

She couldn't look away. Try as she might to keep her feelings hidden, she caught herself unable from the beautiful sight that he was. 

When he looked at her again, there was a small smile on his lips. "I find myself quite surprised at this development," he mused. "Who knew you could be this sweet," he teased, tone lighter and playful and clearly not meant to offend, but she couldn't help but be embarrassed at the reminder of her usual behaviour around him. 

"Shut up!" she turned away, unable to meet his eyes. 

"Oh? Is that a blush I see?" he laughed. It was a little thing really, but she couldn't help, but be happy to hear it, what with the image of his grief so recent in her mind. "Could it be that you're embarrassed, Harume?" 

Although she did wish his good humor hadn't come at her expense. 

"Of course not! Don't be stupid." 

She puffed her cheeks, heart beating fast, and risked a look at him. What she found was not what she expected, as he had a thoughtful look, instead of the amused one she'd been expecting to see. 

"Wait don't tell me that all this time—!" he exclaimed, but stopped himself in the midst of his realization, confusing her further. 

"What?!" 

His eyes locked in with hers and she felt overwhelmingly exposed under his searching stare, however gentle it was. "Harume, is there a chance that you are… Perhaps a little impolite when you're embarrassed?" 

"I—" she felt her face go even hotter. "I don't know what you're talking about."

It was a weak dismissal and she knew it, and so did he, as he laughed then, a carefree thing that left Harume at a complete loss of what to do. 

Eventually, he took a deep breath and gathered himself. "Is that what this is been about all this time then?" 

"Maybe," she admitted, albeit begrudgingly. 

Any feelings of regret she had were immediately extinguished when he smile blindingly bright. "I'm happy you know? I've been wondering what I'd done to upset you all this time!" he bit his lip. "I thought you hated me." 

Oh. 

She felt more than embarrassed at this point, she was mortified, but there was some underlying honest insecurity in the tone he'd used in the end of his confession and if this meeting had proved anything was that she was more than willing to cross her comfort zone to make sure he was okay, which was why she gave him the most honest answer she could offer. 

"I could never hate you." 

And that, she noticed with satisfaction, brought some color to his cheeks as well.

He covered his face with one of his hands, and fiddled with the bar of his shirt with the other. Alphinaud seemed hesitant, and Harume shared the feeling, unsure of what to say now. "I- hm…" he started, averting her eyes. "I could never hate you either, so it makes me happy to hear that." 

It was her turn to smile, sweet and hopeful, at the implications of his answer. Like her statement, it wasn't a confession, not really, it wasn't the time for that. Not with all the conflicting emotions of worry and uncertainty they had to deal with. But when she said that she'd known he'd understand her feelings, if he hadn't already, and by saying it back to her… She received the message loud and clear. The implication that he might feel something for her, and that while they weren't taking that step now, it was one they could take. 

Later. 

Later when — not if, when — Alisaie was in better health, and they took care of the current threat, later when they had time to be feel their feelings properly, and give them the attention they deserved. 

He matched her happy expression with a softer one, and she wished this moment could last. She'd never felt so comfortable with him before, but… But her last thoughts reminded her they didn't have that much time to spare, there were bigger things to worry at the moment, if he was feeling well enough to dealing with them that is. "How do you feel?" 

"I'm still worried, of course, I don't think I'll be able to rest until I know for sure my sister will be in good health again, but you've managed to help quite a lot," he said, turning serious again.

"I'm glad you're doing somewhat better." 

"Thank you," he bumped her shoulder. "We should get going, shouldn't we? We've got work to do." 

"That we do," she sighed. "If you're ready that is." 

"I am."

Reluctantly, they got up and started walking out of the room, however just before they reached the door Alphinaud paused abruptly. She looked at him in a silent question, and he smirked in answer. Before she could react, he came closer to her and pressed his lips to her forehead. "I know I said it already, but hey, thank you." 

Astonished, she felt her legs weaken under her and knew that the blush that overcame had to be redder than ever. He laughed and kept walking in front of her. 

"You argh!" she screamed after him. "How dare you!" 

As they left together, bickering and teasing each other, she felt content. This wasn't what she'd been expecting from this talk, but it was, in fact, a much better result.

Alisaie would be okay, she was sure of it, and then so would Alphinaud. They'd be alright, and Harume would be there with them, and for that she was happy. 


	2. Chapter 2

It was a warm and bright day, the sky was clear, and the weather was just right, and Harume was all the more bitter at the unfairness of it all. She sighed, hugging her pillow tighter, this wasn't how her day was supposed to go. 

Since she'd had that moment with Alphinaud they'd become a lot closer. Their relationship didn't have a name yet, but they weren't quite just friends anymore — not with all the flirting they'd been doing. And they were closer too, it'd made it both easier and harder to talk to him. Easier because with the closeness came comfort, and harder because he could be a menace with all the teasing he'd been doing since finding out he was able embarrass her. It might have lead her to a lot of pouting - that she never would admit to doing out loud - but she'd be lying if she said she was unhappy. 

It was one of the reasons why she'd been so excited when she'd gotten to Kugane with Alphinaud and Yugiri. It was the place where she came from and she wanted to show it to her friends, and she'd been looking forward to showing it to him specifically. But she wouldn't leave Yugiri alone for a date, they were friends too, and it would have been perfectly fine as a group activity, _except_ … That's not what happened at all. 

At first they'd all been having fun together, and she was happy, but then Alphinaud and Yugiri went on a tangent of their own and suddenly she couldn't keep up anymore. It made her more upset than she should have been, but she couldn't help but feel jealous. She tried to tone it down and have a fun time with them, but eventually chose to let them be, leaving with the excuse of visiting some familiar spots that wouldn't interest the other two. 

In the end, while she had wandered off on her own for some time, she'd found herself back in the Inn they were planning to stay the night, sulking in her room. 

She sighed again. 

Dwelling on it was only adding to her stress, so she decided that maybe resting would be better now, she couldn't overthink while asleep... But her mind was restless and the questions wouldn't stop. Why was he suddenly giving Yugiri so much attention anyway? Did he not find her interesting anymore? Was he starting to like the other girl more? The more time she spent laying there, thinking about it, the worse it got.

A knock on her door brought her back to reality and begrudgingly she got up to answer, feeling all the more aggravated to see the two people she couldn't take out of her mind at her door. Harume did try not to show it, however. It didn't feel fair to them, not when they hadn't done much more than talk to each other. She was probably overthinking this. 

"Hey." 

"Hi there," Alphinaud smiled. "You came back earlier than we expected, what with how excited you were," his playful tone, that usually made her happy, was only confusing her mood even more. Didn't he notice anything wrong? 

"Yeah, I ended up getting a little tired," she said, forcing herself to move aside to let them in, even though she didn't want to see them right now. "So, how was your day?" 

"It was very pleasant," Yugiri said while getting comfortable, furthering Harume's dismay. "Kugane is a lovely town." 

Alphinaud hummed in agreement. "It is quite beautiful and lively." 

_Yes, and I wanted to see it with you._ She thought. 

As they both went on about their days, she struggled to keep the strain off her smile. Hearing about it made her regret not being there, but remembering the feeling of being cast second to their animated conversation made the jealousy come back full force. It was a contradiction she couldn't seem to shake herself from, and that she was trying hard to keep at bay. In fact, she was so focused on that, that she almost missed Yugiri clearing her throat. 

"I am also quite tired, I think I'll retire for the night," she announced, giving Harume a pointed look that she couldn't decipher before getting up and leaving with a nod to both of them after their goodbyes. The whole exchange made her a bit nervous, but that feeling didn't get much attention, promptly overshadowed by a different anxiety, as she noticed she was now alone with Alphinaud. 

They were in silence for a moment, until he moved to sit closer to her, effectively making her the center of his attention. It was ironic how what she'd wanted so much now made her so anxious. "We said a lot about our days, but how about yours?" he asked, sounding so genuine that she couldn't help her blush. 

"I-it was alright," she was careful with her word choice, because while she did not want to tell him about being upset at the moment, she also didn't want to lie to him. "I visited some of my favorite spots, you know, for the nostalgia. It was nice," and that wasn't a lie, after separating from the group, she'd wanted to get herself some comfort, so that's what she'd gone after. It hadn't been her ideal day, but it did help. 

"That does sound nice."

She hummed in agreement and he gave her a puzzled look. With his intense blue eyes it was hard to maintain his gaze, or to fight the blush threatening to overtake her face. "Is there something wrong?" 

The question came as a surprise, and she was confused for a second, before realizing he saw through her attempts of hiding her feelings. 

"N-no! Of course not, why would there be?" she stammered. 

His disbelief was evident in his face. "Are you sure? You don't sound so good." 

"Don't be stupid, I sound _fine_ , it's nothing." 

He paused. 

"I'm sorry I asked, didn't mean to upset you," his subdued tone immediately got her attention. They'd both been getting used to his newfound understanding of her tendency to lash out when deflecting or embarrassed, but sometimes it still cause misunderstandings. She winced at her own words upon realizing they came out harsher than she'd intended. 

As much as she didn't want to be honest, she couldn't handle that look on him even more, so it seemed she'd be the one apologizing. "Don't be sorry for that, I'm sorry I said that, it's just… It's silly." 

"I don't think it is, not if it makes you upset."

Why did he have to be so sweet? 

She bit her lip considering it. Jealousy… Was not something she wanted to admit to, but as long as she didn't use this word, it could work. "I guess I felt a little disappointed today?" was what she settled for. 

"Disappointed?"

"I was excited to be here and show the city to you two, but hm... You two seemed happy together and I didn't feel like I fit, you know? So I left," explaining it was so embarrassing she couldn't even look at him. 

Alphinaud sounded much softer the next time he spoke. "I'm sorry we made you feel like that, Harume, I never wanted you to feel excluded."

"I know, it's just... It's okay, thank you," and it was, she was going to make it be, because she wasn't going to let jealousy come between them, upset as she was. 

"Is it really? I didn't realize what we were doing, I should have known better…" she risked a glance at him, finding a genuine apologetic expression. "I'm sure Yugiri didn't too."

"Yeah, it's alright." 

She was hoping he'd drop the subject at that, however, the look he was giving her said otherwise. It was sweet how attentive he could be, though in moments like this she couldn't help being a little annoyed. 

"But you still look upset."

"Well, I'm not!" 

"Are too," was he serious? while she wasn't expecting him to actually believe her outburst this time, this also wasn't the direction she'd seen their conversation taking. She puffed her cheeks in annoyance.

"Am not." 

"Are too!" 

" _Am not!_ " 

He shrugged. "I could do this all night, you know, I have lots of experience with brats." 

"Because you're a one?" 

"I was referring to Alisaie and you know it," he pouted. 

"Sure, sure," Harume made sure to roll her eyes as crossed her arms, to emphasize her disbelief. "Then how can I convince you to stop pestering me?" 

"You can't." 

"Well, there has to be a way, because I'm not telling you anything," she huffed. 

And Alphinaud… He looked at her, contemplative, with a glint in his eyes that spelled trouble for her. Having his attention like that for the second time that night was more than a little nerve-wracking, it was hard not to squirm. She wasn't even sure what there was to see. 

"So, are you feeling shy about this issue, Harume?" 

He was bound to realize it, she'd predicted it, and yet the moment the question came Harume didn't feel at all ready to deal with it. "Maybe," was the answer she settled for. 

Alphinaud's whole demeanor softened. "I won't force you to speak, but I hope you know I won't judge, no matter what it is." 

She couldn't believe he was going to make her consider it. 

When he came over she'd been resolute in her wish to keep the jealousy to herself, too afraid of what he'd think of her to tell him, and too depreciative in her own thoughts about it to be able to voice it even to herself, but the talking they'd done so far had helped soothe some of her concerns, and he hadn't reacted badly to her first admission… And in the face of honest concern, while still respecting her boundaries, it was hard to believe that he would react badly at all. 

"Iwantedyourattention," she muttered, sighing. 

He blinked. "Could you repeat that? I'm not sure I understood."

She was sure that she'd had a blush for most of their conversation, but it seemed her cheeks could still get warmer. 

"I wanted you to pay attention to me," she managed to say, still low, but understandable, half regretting it the moment it left her mouth. 

His features lit with surprise briefly, before opening up in a smile — he even had the audacity to take a hand to his mouth to suppress a giggle. 

"You're too cute, Harume," he reached out to take her hand. "That's your way of saying you were jealous?"

"Yeah…"

"I'm sorry I overlooked your excitement today, I really didn't mean to."

"It's okay, I guess, it's just… We've been c-closer since that night, and I guess I just got worried I _misunderstood_ you when you seemed more interested in Yugiri today," there, she'd said it, the last thing she couldn't stop thinking about. 

That seemed to startle him and make him stop to consider his answer. "You didn't misunderstand a thing, Harume, I-" his face now matched hers in a blush, and she was once again caught up in how cute he looked like that. "I think I've been falling for you it's been a long time," he confessed. 

Harume forgot how to breathe. 

From all the outcomes this night could've had, this one had never crossed her mind. After the initial shock came the giddiness, and a happy warmth she couldn't put in to words. She felt a smile blossom on her face, matching his shy one, and managed to gather herself enough to speak. "Me too, I feel the same way about you, Alphinaud."

She squeezed his hand without thinking, and noticed for the first time how close they'd gotten during the conversation. They were sitting side by side, shoulders almost touching and with the way their heads were inclined she had a perfect view of his face as he took in her words and displayed the same happiness she was feeling.

Harume didn't know which of them moved first. They seemed to lean in together, closing the gap between with the kiss. His hand found her hair, and hers found his shoulder. Chaste as it was, it made her heart beat faster all the same. And when they pulled apart, both flustered and and breathtaken, they couldn't look away. He smiled and she giggled, but they didn't move away. 

"You know…" Alphinaud started, "We can still go out and see the city, only the two of us." 

"I thought you already saw everything you wanted?" 

"I'm sure there's a lot I've yet to see and most importantly, and besides," he smile, twirling a piece of her hair. "I have to see it with you." 

Oh. That was everything she wanted. And with the way he was looking at her, in that moment with the memory of their kiss still so fresh, she couldn't imagine saying anything but yes. She did have another question before answering however. "Are you asking me on a date?" 

"Yes." 

"Then I'd love to go."

He leaned in for another kiss and mumbled against her lips. "And Harume? If you ever want my attention again all you have to do is ask," he teased.

**Author's Note:**

> If you liked this story you can commission me at my twitter @witch_kid3 ☆
> 
> (or just come say hi!)


End file.
